Self-service refrigerated display case



Patented Dec. 6, 19.49

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE SELF-SERVICE BEFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE 7Winfield R. Burtis, Trenton, N. J., asslgnor to C. V. Hill & Company,Inc., Trenton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November30, 1946, Serial No. 713,232

4 Claims. (Cl. 62-895) This invention relates to refrigerated selfservice display cases and particularly to construe-' tions in which thecapacity of the case is increased and improved control of thetemperature in the display case is provided.

The preservation and display of products for self service by customershas many advantages and as shown and described in the patent to Caulk etal. No. 2,382,937 articles may be refrigerated in display spaces whichare open at the top for self service without giving rise to condensationof moisture on the products. However, the depth of such display spacesis generally limited and therefore the capacity of open type selfservice display cases is relatively small as compared with the floorspace which the case occupies. Moreover, it is sometimes desirable tomaintain articles being displayed at diflerent temperatures whereasspace does not permit the use of two or more cases for this purpose.

In accordance with the present invention these limitations of priorconstructions are overcome by providing a self service refrigerateddisplay case with a plurality of display spaces arranged one above theother in a single case. With this arrangement it is also possible toprovide each space with a refrigerating coil and to control thetemperature maintained in each display space so as to assure the mostsatisfactory display and preservation .of the products therein.-

One of the problems encountered in the construction and operation ofrefrigerated display cases wherein display spaces are arranged one abovethe other resulted from the necessity to render the spaces readilyaccessible and to overcome the tendency for warm moist air from theatmosphere above the display space to be trapped beneath an overhangingshelf or display space in such a way as to cause moisture carried bysuch air from condensing on the articles being displayed. However, theseproblems have been overcome by the use of novel arrangements of elementswhereby access to the display spaces is substantially unobstructed andthe deposition of moisture on the articles in the display spaces isreduced or eliminated.

' One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel typeof refrigerated display case having a plurality of open, self servicedisplay spaces located one above the other. Another object of theinvention is to provide a refrigerated self service display case withdisplay spaces which may be maintained at difleren temperatures.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeratedself service display case wherein the condensation of moisture on theproducts being displayed is substantially eliminated.

These and other objects and features of the present invention willappear from the following description thereof in which reference is madeto the figures of the accompanying drawing. a

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a typical display case embodying the presentinvention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the construction illustratedin Fig. 1.

In that form of the invention illustrated in the figures of the drawingthe refrigerated self service display case is provided with an insulatedrear wall 2, an insulated base 4, insulated end walls 6 and an insulatedtop 8. The base I is provided at its front edge with an upwardlyextending front wall ll which extends between the end walls 6 andcooperates therewith to provide a lower display space l2. The front wallII preferably consists of multiple glass panes that afford insulationfor the display space while per-v mitting articles therein to be readilyseen. An insulated shelf I4 is located above the display space l2 andprojects forward from the rear wall 2 to a point above and spaced inwardfrom the front wall III of the lower display space so as to provide afree access opening [6 at the front and top of the lower display spacel2.

The shelf I4 is provided with an insulating but transparent front walll8 which projects upward from the forward edge of the shelf and extendsbetween the end walls 6 so as to provide an intermediate display space20 above the lower display space l2. A second insulated shelf 22 islocated above the shelf l4 and projects forward from the rear wall 2 toa point above and spaced inward from the front wall l8 of the-shelf llthus providing an access opening 25 at the front and top of theintermediate display space 20.

An insulating and transparent front wall 26 extends-upward from adjacentthe front edge of the insulated shelf 22 and cooperates with the endwalls of the case to provide an upper display space 28. A mirror 30 isinclined downwardly and rearwardly from the front edge of the insulatedtop 8 above the display space 28 and thus providing an access opening 32at the front and top of the upper display space. The mirror 3. alsorenders the case more attractive in appearance and aids children orshort persons to the display case.

3 see the articles on display in the top display space more readily.

A fluorescent light or other source of illumination It is mounted on thefront edge of the top I and serves to illuminate the articles in thedisplay space 28. Similar lights 3 and 30 are mounted beneath theshelves 2! and Il respectively near the front thereof for illuminatingthe intermediate and lower display spaces so that articles therein maybe seen readily and attractively displayed. By positioning these lightsbelow and at the front of each shelf and at the front of the overhangingtop I the heat developed by the lights causes air above the displayspace and below the front of each shelf to flow outward and upward so asto oppose and limit the flow of warm moist air downward into contactwith the articles on display. In this way, the lights serve to cause-the circulation of air within .the display space to be confined largelyto recirculation of previously refrigerated air and the deposition ofmoisture on the coils and articleslis reduced.

with this construction three display spaces I2, 20 and 28 are providedand these spaces are arranged one above the other providing a relativelylarge total capacity for the display and preservation of articles in asingle case. At the same time the stepped arrangement of the shelves l4and 22 affords ready access to each of the display spaces at the frontand top thereof and the articles in all three display spaces so thatthey can be easily removed by the customers.

Each of the display spaces is provided with a refrigerating element inthe form of a coil through which refrigerant is circulated. The coilassociated with the display space If is indicated at 40; the coil"associated with display space 20 is indicated at 42, and the coilassociated with display space 2. is indicated at 44. Each of these coilsis provided with heat conducting fins and is located adjacent the rearwall 2 of The coils are supplied with refrigerant through lines such asthose indicated generally at ll.

The coil ll associated with the lower display space I: is positionedadjacent and beneath the shelf l4 and is provided with a bame 48 whichis spaced at its upper edge from the shelf ll so as to permit air toflow over said edge into contact with the coil 0., The. lower edge ofbaille I8 is spaced from the bottom [of the case so as to form an airoutlet through which air cooled by the coil and dried by the depositionof moisture thereon may flow forward in the display space H and upwardtherein about the articles therein.

A second bame is carried by the shelf I4 and extends downward andrearward therefrom in spaced relation to the baille ll. The lower edge52 of the bai'fle I is positioned at or below the level as the upperedge of the front wall ll of the display space I! so that bailles 48 andSI cooperate to provide an air passage it having an inlet locatedadjacent the upper portion of the display space II. By this constructionair is forced upward within the display space I! by the downwardlyflowing body of cooled and d1 iad air from the coil 40 whereas the airwhich is adjacent the top of said space and which has risen intemperature by contact with the articles on display is drawn oil fromthe top of the display space and returned to the coil 40.

The inclined position of the baiile I. further serves to preventpocketing of warm moist air from the atmosphere above the display spacein the space beneath the overhanging shelf I and adjacent the coil ll.Such air instead contacts the relatively uncooled outer surface of bameill and is directed upward toward the illuminating means 38. Anymoisture condensfng on the baille Ill is conducted downward and rearwardthereby so that it will fall into the drain gutter 58 and be conductedfrom the case and will not come into contact with the articles ondisplay.

The coil 42 associated with the intermediate display space 20 issimilarly located adjacent but below the upper shelf 22 and is providedwith a baffle 58 located adjacent the coil and having its upper andlower edges spaced from the shelves 22 and M respectively. An inclinedbaille ,60 extends downward and rearward from the shelf 22 and its loweredge 62 is located at or below the level of the upper edge of the frontwall ll of the display space 20. In this way the bailles 58 and illcooperate to form the air passage 64 and serve to establish a thermosiphon insuring the circulation of cooled and dry air upward in the.display space 20 while the warmer air in said space and adjacent the topthereof is drawn off and returned to the coil. The display space 20 isalso provided with a drain gutter 86 located below the lower edge 62 ofbaflle S0 to receive any moisture condensing on the baflle and runningdownward to its lower edge. The deposition of moisture on the articlesbeing displayed and the pocketing of air so as to promote condensationis thus substantially reduced or eliminated.

The coil 44 for the upper display space 28 is located adjacent theinsulated top 8 and is provided with a baille 10 which is spaced at itsupper edge from said top and spaced at its lower edge from the uppersurface of shelf 22. The mirror 30 is insulated on its rear surface andcooperates with baflle 10 to form an air passage 12 through which airfrom adjacent the top of display space 28 flows to the coil 44. The aircooled by coil 44 deposits its moisture on the coil and fins anddescends to the lower portion of the display space. The air then flowsupward about the articles therein so as to maintain the articles in acooled dry condition.

In the construction illustrated a single expansion valve 14 is locatedbetween the refrigerated line it and the upper coil 44. The refrigerantthen passes from coil 44 to coil 42 and then to coil 40 and in its finalrun it passes back to coil 44. However, other arrangements of the coiland expansion valve may be employed. Furthermore, the sizeand positionof the coils associated with the different display cases may be variedto produce and maintain the desired temperature in each display space;As shown the coil 44 associated with the upper display space is smallerthan the coils 42 and 40 and is wholly located substantially above thelevel of the upper edge of the front wall 26 of the display space 28.The coil 42 associated with the intermediate display 2. has its lowerportion substantially even with the upper edge of the front wall I8,whereas coil III is located partially above and partially below theupper edge of the front wall ID of the lower display space l2. 7

Each arrangement of the coils with respect to the display space hascharacteristic advantages and in general the higher the coil the morerapid the circulation of air and the lower the temperature maintainedwithin the display space. Such alternative arrangements, locations andsizes of the refrigerating coils and the differences in size of thedisplay spaces renders it possible to maintain all three display spacesat substantially the same temperature or to maintain each display spaceat a different temperatrre independently of the other.

This flexibility in construction and operation of display casesembodying the present invention is typical of the numerous changes andmodifications in the form, arrangement and method of operating suchcases. In view' thereof it should be understood that the particularconstruction shown in the drawing and herein described is intended to beillustrative only and is not intended to limit the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A refrigerated self service display case comprising means defining aplurality of vertically spaced display spaces each of which is closedabout the bottom and sides and open at the top for access to customers,a refrigerating element for each display space operable to maintain theair in each space at a predetermined temperature independent of thetemperature at which the air in a vertically adjacent display space ismaintained, and heating means located adjacent the upper portion of eachof said display spaces in position to produce a flow of air upward awayfrom said spaces and in a direction to oppose the flow of unrefrigeratedair downward into said display spaces from the exterior thereof.

2. A refrigerated self service display case com prising a bottom, a topand back and end walls, a plurality of vertically spaced shelvesprojecting from said back walls and each provided at its front edge withan upwardly extending front wall extending from one end wall to theother and cooperating therewith to provide a plurality of display spaceseach of which is open at the top for access to customers, means formaintaining 40 the air in each of said display spaces at a predeterminedlow temperature, and illuminating and heating means located adjacent theupper portion of each of said display spaces and positioned toilluminate articles in the display spaces 8 and to produce a flow of airupward away from said spaces and in a direction to oppose the flow ofunrefrigerated air downward into said display spaces from the exteriorthereof.

3. A refrigerated self service display case com I prising a bottom, atop and back and end walls, a plurality of vertically spaced insulatedshelves projecting from said back wall and each provided at its frontedge with an upwardly extending front wall extending from one end wallto the other and cooperating therewith to provide a plurality ofseparatel insulated display spaces each of which is open at the top foraccess to customers, a refrigerating element for each display spacehaving at least a part thereof located above the upper edge of the frontwall of the space with which it is associated, a baiile extendingdownward from said top and a baille extending downward from each shell,the lower edges of said baflies being approximately level .5

6 with the upper edges of the front walls of the display spaces andother bafiles cooperating therewith to provide an air circulatingpassage for each display space through which air will flow by gravityfrom the refrigerating element into the bottom of the display space andfrom that portion of the display space below the level of the upper edgeof the front wall of the display space back to the refrigeratingelement, and illuminating and heating means located adjacent the upperportion of each of said display spaces and positioned to illuminatearticles in the display spaces and to produce a flow of air upward awayfrom said spaces and in a direction to oppose the flow of unrefrigeratedair downward into said display spaces from the exterior thereof. 4. Arefrigerated self service display case comprising a bottom, a top andback and end walls, a plurality of vertically spaced shelves projectingfrom said back wall and each provided at its front edge with an upwardlyextending front wall extending from one end wall to the other andcooperating therewith to provide a plurality of display spaces each ofwhich is open at the top for access to customers, a refrigeratingelement for each displa space having at least a part thereof locatedabove the upper edge of the front wall of the space with which it isassociated, a baille inclined downward and rearward from adjacent thefront edge of said top to the level of the upper edge of the front wallof the uppermost display space, baiiles inclined downward and rearwardfrom adjacent the front edge of each shelf to the level of the upperedge of the front wall of the display space therebeneath and a bafllelocated adjacent each refrigerating element and cooperating with thefirst mentioned baflles to provide an air circulating passage for eachdisplay space through which air will flow by gravity from therefrigerating element into the bottom of the display space and from thatportion of the display space below the upper edge of the front wall ofthe display space back to the refrigerating element, a drain gutterlocated beneath the lower edges of said bellies for receiving andremoving liquid falling from said baiiles, and illuminating and heatingmeans located adjacent the upper portion of each of said display spacesand positioned to illuminate articles in the display spaces and toproduce a flow of air upward away from said spaces and in a. directionto oppose the flow of unrefrigerated air downward into said displayspaces from the exterior thereof.

WINFIELD R. BURTIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,083,442 Gardner June 8, 19372,241,854 Hall May 13, 1941 2,379,885 Davis July 10, 1945

